Editorial #6 2017

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Editorial #6 2017

14 April 2017

A big thank you

Hello and welcome to the final issue of Noises Off.

It’s probably the intensity of the week, seeing so many shows in such a short space of time, having all these important issues like the refugee crisis, gender identity and diversity ringing around your head, the late nights/early mornings in the bar networking, the mind-opening workshops, the conversations, the get-outs, the get-ins, the click-ins, the click-outs, the sheer raw intensity of Chris Thorpe, that have caused you to wake up this morning and think, “Wait, that was it?”

It came, it went. It was pretty special. We saw some work that will likely be as good as anything we see again. We were pushed, challenged and came out the other side better people.

Hopefully, anyway.

This being the final issue, it’s not surprising that we have a couple of articles from people reflecting back on what they just experienced. Alex Prescot wonders if it was as good as it could’ve been. Not in a bad way, necessarily. Just that in the maelstrom of everything at once, it can be hard to stay anchored. Meanwhile, Florence Bell says some things to her past self, the one from a week ago. A week is a long time in Hull.

Personally, I’m incredibly grateful. This has been a phenomenal year for Noises Off (no, really), and there are some people who should be acknowledged for making that happen. First, deputy editor Kate Wyver, who’s just one of those people who is amazing at everything she does, whether it’s sub-editing, writing concept reviews, or standing up in Celebration and leading the audience in a singalong dedication to a recently deceased friend that was my most poignant and truly bittersweet moment of the festival.

There’s art director Nick Kay, who is the man solely responsible for making this magazine look so visually fucking hot. While we’ve all been seeing shows and joining in the discussion, Nick has been sleeping. That’s because he’s had the unenviable task of putting the magazine together, by himself, in the early hours when everyone else is either drunk or resting. He’s done it all without complaint and with a constant sense of humour.

I say “the man” solely responsible, because the images he’s used have been provided by photographers Aenne Pallasca and Giulia Delprato, who always take visually stunning photos. But I don’t need to tell you that – you’ve experienced it yourself every time you’ve opened Noises Off and said, “Fuck, that’s beautiful.”

And finally, and most importantly, I want to thank all of you who have contributed articles, big and small. From Adam Hutton’s humorous side-on views of the shows to Bronwen Davies and Lucy Bird’s updates on the Management Team’s fitness, from the techies who rose to the challenge of Technician Impossible to Eve Allin’s laser clarity, from Callum Kenny’s thought-provoking opinion pieces to Lilith Wozniak and Nat Norland’s limericks.

But most of all, to Florence Bell, Phoebe Graham and Lily James, who have dedicated all their time to producing copy for this magazine; they’ve written reviews, comment pieces, interviews, opinions, all in the space of a week, on the most minimal of deadlines, and been nothing but joyous and hilarious to work with. They, and all the contributors, have made this what it is, and I am more than thankful to them for their hard work.